BLOG POSTS ARCHIVE - March 2007
Posted Mar 12th 2007, 11:33am
Exiled
Living as I do now in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, I´m 700 miles away from the Spanish penisula and 50 away from the African continent. It doesn´t take Einstein-level intellect to work out that I´m at a significant disadvantage when it comes to commissioning than when I was back in London. However, I´ve just got to use my location to my advantage. Since I´ve been here I´ve enjoyed a week´s free tuition at a surf school in return for an article and taken in the odd delights of lucha canaria, Canarian wrestling, a sort of sumo-meets-Cumbrian-wrestling type of sport. And for the benefit of any commissioning editors reading my ramblings, I´m handily placed for covering the Lisbon-Dakar rally.
Posted Mar 9th 2007, 9:59am
London Sport
It is with interest that I read that Steven Gerrard recently won a libel case against the magazine London Sport which claimed that the Liverpool captain was considering a move to Spanish club Real Madrid. Gerrard was awarded undisclosed damages against the mag, which made the allegations in an article in January.
The article claimed Gerrard booked into the same hotel as Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon and speculated that a move could take place in the summer.
Similar, but less detailed allegations were also made in another article published in February.
However, Gerrard's lawyer Gerard Tyrell told London's High Court that the allegations were not true and that the magazine had not contacted the footballer or his agent to verify the story before it was published.
Mr Tyrell told the court that Gerrard had not been involved in secret talks with Real Madrid or any other football club regarding a possible move and said that the player was "more than happy" at Liverpool.
The solicitor also told the court that the story had caused Gerrard and his family embarrassment and distress.
Echo Publishing, which prints London Sport Magazine, agreed to pay damages and legal costs to Gerrard and apologised for the distress caused by the article.
Now this raises interesting questions. As a journalist myself, I´´m sure if I´d written a similar story and phoned Gerrard or his agent for confirmation about a possible Real Madrid move, they´re obviously going to deny it. The article also stirred my interest as I happen to be a contributor. I´ve interviewed the likes of Sol Campbell (incredibly open), freediver Tanya Streeter (incredibly confident), and Phil Tufnell (incredibly drunk). Here´s some links for your amusement:
http://www.ls-magazine.co.uk/articles/cache/c33fb82faf6d44e2bfd824cb1d73c1c4.php
http://www.ls-magazine.co.uk/articles/cache/4c943e084b437265fa111be8af21ffa9.php
One would hope that the damages handed out won´t affect the long-term future of London Sport.
Comments
Posted Mar 8th 2007, 3:34pm
Fight Night
If you haven´t seen footage of the fracas between Valencia and Inter at the end of their Champions League clash two nights ago, you must have been away. In space. For the benefit of any interplanetary travellers out there, this is what you missed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbe06xm6EFE&mode=related&search=
I particularly enjoyed the way Valencia sub David Navarro evades attempts by Inter players to bring him down. As if he´s running the bulls in Pamplona. The fight, as you can see, continued in the tunnel. In truth, though, animosity between Italians and Spaniards has existed for centuries. And there have been flashpoints on the football field before. Notably when Italy´s Mauro Tassotti broke Spain´s Luis Enrique´s nose with a vicious elbow into the face during their 1994 World Cup quarter-final.
Comments
Posted Mar 2nd 2007, 2:01pm
Big Mouth Strikes Again
Everybody seems to have it in for Chelsea these. Next up shouting off their mouth at the front of a disorderly queue comes Eamonn Holmes. "You have to despise Chelsea more than anyone", argues the frothing-at-the mouth telly tubby. In an interview with Loaded magazine, he slates the club for being successful: "The way they´ve gone about it, the arrogance of Mourinho. And Abramovich - all that money, but have you ever seen him smile? Why is he so miserable." Quelle surprise! Our Eamonn´s a United fan. Sore loser, we say.
Comments